The New 2018 Toyota Land Cruiser

With an off-road heritage spanning more than 65 years, Land Cruiser remains unique in its segment for its ability to combine outstanding quality, durability and reliability with unrivalled off-road performance and ever-greater levels of luxury, comfort and ownership prestige.

Land Cruiser is more widely available than any current Toyota model, being sold in more than 190 countries worldwide. Its unmatched off-road abilities have earned it a rock-solid reputation as one of the world’s toughest and most reliable 4x4s and made it the segment sales leader in more than 10 European markets.

The new 2018 Land Cruiser enhances this reputation with more modern and robust exterior styling, a more sophisticated, comfortable and higher quality interior, and improvements to its dynamic performance and user-friendliness, both on and off-road.

On sale now, the new Land Cruiser has a revised model range for the UK which for the first time includes a “workhorse” Utility grade, with a simple equipment specification and a choice of three or five-door body styles. It forms the entry point to a line-up that also includes Active, Icon and high-technology Invincible grades.

Inside the new Land Cruiser, switchgear on the new-look dashboard is ergonomically optimised and functionally grouped. The dash also incorporates (according to equipment grade) a large, eight-inch touchscreen for the Toyota Touch 2 with Go multimedia and navigation system, Optitron meters and a 4.2-inch colour TFT multi-information display.

The cabin has been made more comfortable with front seat ventilation, rear seat heating, and automatic climate control, and life has been made easier with the introduction of reverse-tilting door mirrors and a new smart key design.

More high-resolution photographs of the new Land Cruiser can be downloaded from here.

The new Land Cruiser retains its 175bhp/130kW 2.8-litre D-4D turbodiesel engine with six-speed automatic or manual transmission.

Land Cruiser’s peerless off-road capability is rooted in its highly durable and deformation-resistant body-on-frame construction, which is now unique in the large SUV segment. The vehicle’s combination of strength and durability provides a high level of damage protection and it is designed for easy maintenance and repairs. Significantly reduced levels of body twisting help the driver optimally position and control the vehicle.

The body-on-frame build also efficiently isolates the cabin from suspension impacts, making even the most challenging off-road conditions more comfortable to negotiate for everyone on board.

The all-terrain support systems help even unskilled drivers make the most of Land Cruiser’s off-road performance. They also make the Toyota one of the most technically advanced, safe, pleasurable and easy-to-use all-wheel drive vehicles in the world.

No other SUV offers Land Cruiser’s combination of off-road performance and on-road dynamics. Its powerful road presence and high levels of on-board technology mark it down as a premium 4×4 with a perfect blend of go-anywhere capability, comfort and refinement.

Where you want to go, Land Cruiser will take you there – and bring you back.

More dynamic, modern and robust styling

The exterior design of successive Land Cruiser generations has combined the stylish aesthetics of a vehicle entirely at home in any environment with the robust image of durability and power expected of a genuine all-wheel drive machine.

The new Land Cruiser builds on this proven, trusted formula with a new design that is visually more agile and dynamic, yet which maintains three core strengths essential to the vehicle’s go-anywhere credentials: Total Practicality, with headlights and cooling openings positioned to maximise protection and wading depth; Total Durability, with the powertrain and all functional parts well-protected; and Total Capability, with a tight turning circle and generous ground clearance, essential for the most demanding off-road driving conditions.

The overall length has been increased by 60mm to 4,840mm (4,395mm for the three-door model). A minimum turning circle of 5.8 metres (5.2 metres three-door) contributes to exceptional manoeuvrability.

New-look frontal elements such as the bonnet, grille, headlights, bumper and wings draw on structural elements from the model’s design heritage.

The bonnet has been shaped to improve downward visibility at the centre and it is sandwiched by the sides of the bumper to help protect the engine bay. The corners of the lower part of the bumper have integral fog lights and kick upwards, while the centre section is shaped like a skid plate for easier manoeuvring off-road. The top section of the wings has been raised so that it’s easier for the driver to pinpoint the vehicle’s extremities.

The front grille and headlights have been organised into single, powerful graphic form and set higher for better off-road functionality. The grille’s apertures have been made as large as possible for optimum engine cooling, while the headlight main beams are positioned inboard to avoid damage when driving off-road.

In keeping with Land Cruiser heritage, the grille itself features broad vertical bars with slit-shaped cooling openings, finished in chrome. The headlight clusters comprise high and low beams, front turn indicators and daytime running lights, contained in a distinctive housing. On Active grade models and higher, the headlights use LEDs; on all models the daytime running lights also use LED technology.

The sharply trimmed lower section of the body reinforces the Land Cruiser’s broad stance and minimises the impact of the front overhang on the vehicle’s off-road approach angle. Ground clearance is 215mm (205mm three-door), with 31-degree approach, 25-degree departure (26-degree for three-door model) and 22-degree ramp break-over angles.

In profile, the peak of the front bumper has been raised and the bonnet, wing line and front and rear bumpers have been aligned on the same horizontal axis, generating a more athletic and dynamic vehicle posture. The vehicle’s profile is further enhanced by a choice of six-spoke 17-inch alloys with new low rolling resistance tyres (Active grade), or, a new 12-spoke 19-inch wheel with a machined finish (Icon and Invincible grades).

New elements at the rear include a redesigned light cluster with an LED stop light; a smaller rear garnish plate incorporated in the number plate surround; and a restyled bumper.

In the UK, the new Land Cruiser is available in nine body colours, including new Phantom Blue and Avant-Garde Bronze metallic.

Higher quality interior

The new Land Cruiser’s interior features a revised dashboard that incorporates a new instrument binnacle and centre console designs, delivering easier operation and a refined finish.

The controls for drivetrain, driving and comfort have been separated in function-specific zones, with ergonomics optimised so that they are easy to use even in extreme conditions.

The top of the new centre console tower has been set lower for a sleeker appearance and better front-on visibility when driving off-road. It is fitted with a new eight-inch, full-colour multimedia screen (Active grade and above), a flush-fitting air conditioning control panel and the drivetrain-related instrument cluster.

The controls for driving and comfort functions are located in separate panels for ease of use, positioned behind a new, leather-trimmed gear lever. They include switches to operate new integrated heating and ventilation for the front seats.

The centre console has a silver hairline textured finish with a sculpted metal effect. Soft pads are provided on either side to cushion the driver and front passenger’s knees.

The redesigned instrument binnacle has a four-gauge lay-out with precision Optitron meters (Icon and Invincible grades) with a metallic base panel and polished dials with raised scale markings. The meters flank a 4.2-inch TFT colour multi-information display which presents comprehensive vehicle and infotainment data, controlled using switches on the steering wheel. The steering wheel itself is also new.

The luxury and sophistication of the interior are amplified by new white illumination for the instrument panel, centre console and door-mounted switches. The new cabin lighting scheme uses LEDs for the front footwells, headlining, glove box and door panels. Icon and Invincible models also have illuminated side steps.

Powertrain

Land Cruiser’s 2.8-litre D-4D turbodiesel engine is a 2,755ccm 16-valve DOHC unit which develops 175bhp/130kW at 3,400rpm. Matched to a six-speed automatic transmission, it produces 370Nm of torque at just 1,200rpm, and a maximum 450Nm between 1,600 and 2,400rpm. It will accelerate the vehicle from rest to 62mph in 12.7 seconds, and on to a maximum 109mph. Official combined cycle fuel consumption is 38.2mpg with 194g/km CO₂ emissions.

The engine is also available (in the Utility version) with a six-speed manual gearbox. With this powertrain, maximum torque of 420Nm is available from 1,400 to 2,600rpm.

Acceleration to 62mph takes 12.0 seconds, while the benchmark figures for fuel economy and CO₂ emissions are unchanged for the five-door and marginally lower for the three-door at 39.2mpg and 190g/km.

Expanded range of safety features

Icon and Invincible versions of the new Land Cruiser are equipped with Toyota Safety Sense active technologies to help prevent accidents happening, or mitigating the consequences if an impact does occur.

The package includes a Pre-Collision System (PCS) with pedestrian detection function, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Departure Alert (LDA) and Automatic High Beam (AHB).

Further driver support is provided with a Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert (Invincible grade) and an upgraded tyre pressure warning system.

Grade structure, equipment features and pricing

Toyota’s UK customers have a wider choice of Land Cruiser models with the introduction of an expanded range that includes a new, simple Utility grade. Available in three and five-door format, it is fitted with 17-inch steel wheels, roof rails, front fog lights, air conditioning, dusk-sensing headlights, cruise control, smart entry and a six-speaker audio system with CD player, Bluetooth, Aux-in and USB Port. A six-speed manual transmission can be specified for the five-door version and is standard on the three-door model.

Active grade, available with a five or seven-seat interior, makes the switch from steel to 17-inch alloy wheels and adds rear parking sensors, dual-zone automatic air conditioning, leather steering wheel trim and the Toyota Touch 2 infotainment system with eight-inch touchscreen and nine-speaker audio system. It is a five-door model with a choice of five or seven seat interior.

At the heart of the line-up the seven-seat Land Cruiser Icon adds a number of new features for 2018, including Toyota Safety Sense active safety systems, 19-inch alloys, leather upholstery and front seats with heating and ventilation functions. As previously, it comes equipped with LED headlights and front fog lights, an entry lighting system, rear privacy glass, rain-sensing wipers and the Toyota Touch 2 with Go package with navigation and enhanced connectivity options.

At the top of the range, the Land Cruiser Invincible is equipped with many advanced technology features as standard, to improve handling and stability both on-road and off. These include a locking Torsen rear differential, Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS), Multi-Terrain Select, Multi-terrain Monitor, Crawl control and a 360-degree Panoramic View Monitor with an under vehicle terrain view. The safety specification is boosted by the addition of a Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

Pricing for the new Land Cruiser range is detailed below. Vehicle are on sale now. In common with all new Toyotas, Land Cruiser is protected by a five-year/100,000-mile new vehicle warranty.